June 8, 2010 Netanyahu Dithers-

Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to dither about setting up a Commission of Inquiry. It would seem the American government has not agreed to the narrow guidelines that Netanyahu wanted (meaning that the commission would concentrate only on the legality of the blockade). That opposition in Israel seems to be growing as well. As more and more videos showing the soldiers in the flotilla incident being beaten are released the sentiment in the country is moving from anger at those who attacked the solidiers to anger at the government for putting the solidiers in this impossible situation. Some of the TV reporters/commentators seem exasperated at how long it is taking the Netanyahu government to make any decision about the Commission of Inquiry, asking what have they been doing in hours upon hours of marathon meetings to discuss the inquiry, when according to two correspondents who spoke about it, it was clear that an inquiry was needed last Monday. I recommend reading two articles; one in Ha'aretz by Yoel Marcus Welcome Mr Erdogand and one in the Jerusalem Post by Herb Kenion called Analysis: The Flotilla Dynamic
The Jerusalem Post also has an interesting article, by Daniel Pipes, called Lion's Den, Islamist Turkey Overreaches .

In today's Wall Street Journal columminst Bret Stephens has a provocative piece entitled: Israel and its Liberal Friends: Why Don't They Apply the Same Tough Love to the Palestinians. I do not agree with part of his premise. I have no problem with Americans, liberal or otherwise, having a higher standard for Israel than they would for the Palestinians or anyone else. We have higher standards for our friends and family, and it would be my hope that in every area Israel always strives for the moral and ethical high ground. My problem lies more with what I said yesterday-- that too often the liberal critics are too free to criticize and hardly ever defend Israel. Its interesting to note that in the last few days, many professional politicians, be it Senator Kerry, or former British Prime Minister Blair seem to know how to criticize Israel; First, defend it, and its right to take action in its defense and then afterward, say there may have been a better way to achieve the same goals.